Container formed from two identical trays with engagement and denesting features

Abstract

A container includes trays having a substantially identical profile. For each tray, the tray includes a rim that includes a proximal segment and a bead segment, the bead segment includes an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity. When the trays engage to close the container, the upwardly-extending member of a first tray is received in the second cavity of a second tray, and the upwardly-extending member of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the first tray. When the first tray and the second tray are stacked, movement of the second tray relative to the first tray is limited by the upwardly-extending member of the first tray engaging the rim of the second tray, and/or by the downwardly-extending member of the second tray engaging the rim of the first tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the rim comprising a proximal segment and a bead segment, the proximal segment extending outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment;   the bead segment comprising an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member;   the upwardly-extending member defining a first cavity and comprising an upper bead spaced above the proximal segment; and   the downwardly-extending member defining a second cavity and comprising a lower bead spaced below the proximal segment;   wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray, the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray, and the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray; and   wherein, when the first tray and the second tray are stacked in a same orientation, movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another is limited by at least one of: i) the upper bead of the bead segment of the first tray engaging the rim of the second tray, and ii) the lower bead of the bead segment of the second tray engaging the rim of the first tray.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the upwardly-extending member extends between first and second ends and the downwardly-extending member extends between first and second ends, the first end of the downwardly-extending member being located proximate the second end of the upwardly-extending member, the second end of the downwardly-extending member being located proximate the first end of the upwardly-extending member. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the downwardly-extending member and the upwardly-extending member extend an approximately equal distance between the respective first and second ends. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the downwardly-extending member and the upwardly-extending member each extend continuously between the respective first and second ends. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray, the sidewalls and the cover portions define an interior volume of the container, the proximal segments of the rims of the first and second trays are in face-to-face contact to substantially seal the interior volume, and wherein the rim of at least one of the first tray and the second tray defines at least one vent channel that is in communication with the interior volume when the first tray engages the second tray. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein, for each tray, the at least one vent channel extends between the first end of the downwardly-extending member and the second end of the upwardly-extending member or between the second end of the downwardly-extending member and the first end of the upwardly-extending member. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray, the sidewalls and the cover portions define an interior volume of the container, and the proximal segments of the rims of the first and second trays are in face-to-face contact to substantially seal the interior volume. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein at least one vent channel is defined in the rim of at least one of the first tray and the second tray, and wherein the at least one vent channel is in communication with the interior volume when the first tray engages the second tray. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the rim of each tray has a distal segment extending outwardly from the bead segment opposite the proximal segment, the distal segment defining a peripheral edge of the rim, wherein the at least one vent channel is defined in the distal segment. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one vent channel terminates prior to the peripheral edge of the rim. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one vent channel extends to the peripheral edge of the rim. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein at least one first vent channel is defined in the rim of the first tray and at least one second vent channel is defined in the rim of the second tray, wherein each of the at least one first vent channel and the at least one second vent channel is in communication with the interior volume when the first tray engages the second tray. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one first vent channel is aligned with the at least one second vent channel when the first tray engages the second tray. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the sidewall includes at least one outwardly-extending denesting lug adjacent the proximal segment, and wherein, when the first tray and the second tray are stacked in the same orientation, the at least one denesting lug of the second tray engages the rim of the first tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another. 
     
     
         15 . A container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the rim comprising a proximal segment, a bead segment, and a distal segment, the proximal segment extending outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment, the distal segment extending outwardly from the bead segment opposite the proximal segment;   the bead segment comprising an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member;   the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment comprising a first inner wall extending upwardly from the proximal segment to an upper bead and a first outer wall extending downwardly from the upper bead to the distal segment, wherein the first inner wall, the upper bead, and the first outer wall define a first cavity, wherein a greater distance is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall proximate the upper bead than a distance defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall proximate an opening to the first cavity; and   the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment comprising a second inner wall extending downwardly from the proximal segment to a lower bead and a second outer wall extending upwardly from the lower bead to the distal segment, wherein the second inner wall, the lower bead, and the second outer wall define a second cavity, wherein a greater distance is defined between the second inner wall and the second outer wall proximate the lower bead than a distance defined between the second inner wall and the second outer wall proximate an opening to the second cavity;   wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray:
 the upper bead, the first inner wall, and the first outer wall of the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray are received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and the first inner wall of the upwardly-extending member of the first tray engages the second inner wall of the downwardly-extending member of the second tray by friction, and 
 the upper bead, the first inner wall, and the first outer wall of the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray are received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and the first inner wall of the upwardly-extending member of the second tray engages the second inner wall of the downwardly-extending member of the first tray by friction. 
   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein, for the bead segment of each tray:
 the first inner wall of the upwardly-extending member extends upwardly from the proximal segment to the upper bead at an oblique angle, relative to the proximal segment, towards the sidewall such that the greater distance between the first inner wall and the first outer wall is defined proximate the upper bead, and   the second inner wall of the downwardly-extending member extends downwardly from the proximal segment to the lower bead at an oblique angle, relative to the proximal segment, towards the sidewall such that the greater distance between the second inner wall and the second outer wall is defined proximate the lower bead.   
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the first inner wall extends at approximately the same oblique angle as the second inner wall. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein, for each tray, the sidewall includes at least one outwardly-extending denesting lug adjacent the proximal segment, and wherein, when the first tray and the second tray are stacked in a same orientation, the at least one denesting lug of the second tray engages the rim of the first tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another. 
     
     
         19 . A container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the rim comprising a proximal segment and a bead segment, the proximal segment extending outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment;   the bead segment comprising an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, wherein the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and wherein the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity; and   the sidewall including at least one outwardly-extending denesting lug located adjacent the proximal segment of the rim;   wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray, the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray, and the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray; and   wherein, when the first tray and the second tray are stacked in a same orientation, the at least one denesting lug of the second tray engages the rim of the first tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another.   
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein, for each tray, the rim comprises a distal segment extending outwardly from the bead segment opposite the proximal segment and the at least one denesting lug extends a height along the sidewall away from the proximal segment, the height of the at least one denesting lug defining a denesting height between the distal segments of the first and second trays when the first and second trays are stacked in the same orientation that enables a user to grasp the distal segments individually.